Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The importance of culture

Pay attention to culture. At each of the schools where I’ve worked, most of the students have been black and almost all the teachers have been white. I’ve seen teachers struggle to connect with their students because they think they have nothing more to learn about the kids and where they’re coming from. I’ve also seen teachers from all cultures connect brilliantly with students. These are the teachers who are constantly reaching out to connect with their students and their families, and to base their teaching on that understanding. What music are they listening to? Who in the mass media are they paying attention to? You need to ask these questions and pay attention to the answers as you craft your own message.

- Larry Miller

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